Egidio „Juke” Ingala & The Jacknives

In every city, small town, every village in the world, there are a few people, who are… strange. They communicate with each other in the strange, non-verbal, universal language of blues. Just for the sake of clarification, we are not talking about bastardised and juvenile blues rock, it’s about real blues!
In northern Italy, there are several men who communicate in the blues language, who are known as Egidio „Juke” Ingala & The Jacknives. The four individuals, who make up this band, have naturally gravitated to one another.
Their love for blues and mutual commitment to present this music to the public the right way is so deeply ensconced in their collective consciousness, that any deviation from the truth that lies in the heart of this music would be tantamount to blasphemy.
The band, in addition to vocalist and harmonica player Egido, consists of guitarist Marco Gisfredi, bassist Max Pitardi and drummer Enrico „Henry” Soverini – these guys are cut from that same bolt of cloth and they understand each other on stage with no problems.

Arnaud Fradin & His Roots Combo

French artist Arnaud Fradin is fully aware of the historical and personal dimensions of blues, which is why his songs – borrowed from Skip James, Robert Johnson, Eric Bibb, Muddy Waters or Luther Allison – talk about a difficult fate, acceptance, love and that every person has the right to freedom.
Fradin shows the universality of the original African-American art. When Igor Pichon’s bass, Richard Housset’s drums, Thomas Troussier’s harmonica and Fradin’s guitar and vocal join together, Roots Combo enters a musical path that few artists have been following since Muddy Waters.
The artist and his band are not just about combining pure country blues with urban culture. Their music refers to the whole multi-stage history of blues, from its original African roots to musicians of the younger generation, such as Alvin Youngblood Hart.
Above all, however, Roots Combo never forgets about the important but often forgotten feature of blues: inspiring hope.

Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy with special guest Bob Corritore

Houston native Blue Mercy band’s frontwoman became interested in gospel thanks to her parents. She was also inspired by Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Rosetta Tharpe, Sam Cooke or Charles Brown. Eventually, she developed her own style of blues, containing elements of jazz, gospel and soul.
She has performed in Americas, Europe and Australia. She has appeared on stage alongside Bob Margolin, Keb Mo, Willie „Pinetop” Perkins or Hubert Sumlin. She has won Blues Music Awards three times.
Her devotion to blues is manifested not only through performing on stage. Greenleaf served as the president of the Houston Blues Society, making history as the first woman ever elected to this position. During her presidency she produced the Willie Mae “Big Momma” Thornton Blues Festival. Blues educational projects in schools were also conducted.
Band members:
Diunna Greenleaf – vocals
Ronni Boysen – guitar
Henrik Poulsen – bass
Daniel Winery – drums
Bob Corritore (special guest) – harmonica